• Loading stock data...
Thursday, September 18, 2025

Cowboys-Giants on Amazon Shatters Record for Most-Streamed Regular Season NFL Game

Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images

Heading into Thursday night’s NFC matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants, both teams were 1-2 and both fanbases were already frustrated with their start to the season. 

That didn’t stop America from tuning in. The game, exclusive to Amazon Prime Video, shattered the record for the most-streamed NFL regular season game ever. 

Amazon says it averaged 16.22 million viewers for its Thursday Night Football stream of Dallas’s 20-15 win, according to Nielsen’s Panel Only measurement. 

That topped by 6% the Amazon stream of Cowboys-Seahawks on Nov. 30, 2023, which averaged 15.26 million viewers. 

A Nielsen update Monday morning increased the audience estimate to 17.61 million.

It is not the most-streamed NFL game ever; that title belongs to NBCUniversal’s Peacock stream of the Chiefs-Dolphins Wild Card playoff game, which was the most-streamed NFL game of any kind, averaging 23 million viewers.

With its record-setting performance, Jeff Bezos’s tech giant may be putting to bed the notion that tech streamers can’t attract broadcast-sized audiences for the biggest live games.

Amazon is getting closer to matching NFL broadcast audiences. During the first three weeks of the 2024 season, NFL games averaged 18.6 million viewers across TV/digital, up 10% vs. the same period last year. Over its first three games, TNF on Amazon is averaging 14.88 million viewers, up 25% from last season’s comparable first-three-games average of 11.86 million.

The Cowboys rank right behind the Chiefs as the second-most-popular TV draw this season. The combination of a tight game, two national fan bases, and the country’s largest TV market in the Big Apple, helped drive Amazon’s record-setting night.

The stream of Cowboys-Giants attracted a peak audience of 18.10 million viewers between 9:15 and 9:30 pm ET. That was the largest peak audience ever for TNF. It’s the second time in three weeks that TNF’s game coverage has peaked at 18 million viewers or more. 

Meanwhile, Amazon Prime’s studio show, TNF Tonight, is averaging 1.77 million viewers over the first three games, up 27% from last year’s 1.39 million. TNF Nightcap, the streamer’s post-game studio show, is averaging 2.04 million viewers, up 10% 

As with last season, TNF is also drawing a younger TV audience—roughly seven years younger this season than those watching NFL games on linear TV networks. The median age is 47.6 years old vs. 54.5 for NFL game viewers on CBS, NBC, Fox and ESPN.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

$3.8 Billion Commanders Stadium Deal Approved Despite Late Drama

A decisive final vote on the stadium followed some last-minute snags.

Netflix Boxing Ratings Spark New Fight Over Streaming Metrics

The streamer used a non-accredited process to measure the boxing match.
Donald Trump
exclusive

Trump’s Unprecedented Super Bowl Visit Cost Secret Service More Than $120K

Trump was the first president to attend the Super Bowl.

Featured Today

Premier Lacrosse League

‘The Circus Is Coming to Town’: Why Upstart Leagues Start on Tour

In their ambitious plans, a traveling schedule is only temporary.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 19: A detailed view of the MLB Debut patch on the jersey of Patrick Monteverde #44 of the Miami Marlins prior to game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on April 19, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
September 13, 2025

The Tiny Jersey Patch at the Center of the MLB Rookie Card..

Autographed cards containing a piece of baseball history have upended the market.
September 11, 2025

Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl Rematch Could Set More NFL Ratings Records

Fox will nationally televise Sunday afternoon’s matchup.
September 10, 2025

ESPN’s ‘MNF’ Ratings Up 8% As NFL Surges to Strong Start

ESPN posts its second-best Week 1 “Monday Night Football” audience.

Bethpage Black Joins Trend of Hosting Top Men’s, Women’s Tournaments

The 2028 Women’s PGA Championship will be there for the first time.
Apr 24, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley (5) dribbles on New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) in the second half during game three of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena.
September 17, 2025

Adam Silver: NBA’s Problems With Gambling ‘Have Been Predictable’

Silver originally advocated for legalized sports betting in a 2014 op-ed.
September 17, 2025

Silver: My Comments About Basketball Highlights Were ‘Misconstrued’

The NBA commissioner spoke at the Front Office Sports Tuned in summit.
Sponsored

How World Series Champ Dexter Fowler Became a Premier League Team Owner

Dexter Fowler discusses navigating retirement and embracing new roles as an owner & investor.
September 17, 2025

CFB TV Ratings Stay Hot As Georgia-Tennessee Sets ABC High of 12.6M

ABC has had four games that have topped 10 million viewers this season.
Maria Taylor
September 17, 2025

Maria Taylor Talks About ‘Moving Differently’ in ESPN-NBC Jump

Taylor will be NBC Sports’ lead NBA and WNBA studio host.
September 17, 2025

MLB, NBC Leaders Say Broadcast TV Still Matters in Streaming Era

The network and league tout the forthcoming rights deal.
Feb 17, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; NBA Commissioner Adam Silver talks to media during a press conference before NBA All Star Saturday Night at Lucas Oil Stadium.
September 16, 2025

Adam Silver Doesn’t Want NBA Europe to Be a ‘Top-Heavy League’ 

Silver said he doesn’t want the prospective league to be like European soccer.